Cloud-light chocolate mousse piled into a crisp vanilla-cookie crust.
12 steps, about 50 minutes start to finish.
Preheat oven to 325°F.
Process cookies into fine crumbs. Mix with melted butter, 1.5 tbsp sugar, and salt.
Press into a 9-inch pie pan and bake 8-11 minutes until set. Cool.
In a double boiler, combine 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 tsp salt, gelatin, egg yolks, and milk.
Whisk constantly until mixture thickens and coats a spoon.
Remove from heat, add chopped chocolate, and stir until melted. Cool slightly.
In a clean bowl, beat 2 egg whites to frothy, gradually add 1/2 cup sugar, beat to stiff shiny peaks.
Fold meringue into the cooled chocolate mixture.
In another bowl, beat cream with 1/4 cup sugar and vanilla to stiff peaks.
Fold whipped cream into the chocolate meringue mixture.
Pour filling into cooled crust.
Refrigerate at least 2-4 hours until set.
“Fold the meringue and whipped cream in gently so you keep all that air, it's what makes the mousse airy instead of dense. Let the chocolate base cool first, or it deflates everything on contact.”
